


Of Tea and Charity

by snarkymuch



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, Spider-Man (Tom Holland Movies)
Genre: Fluff and Humor, Gen, Overpriced Tea, Tony Stark Is a Good Bro
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-13
Updated: 2020-11-13
Packaged: 2021-03-10 02:13:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 918
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27546649
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/snarkymuch/pseuds/snarkymuch
Summary: Written for the prompt: During lab days at the tower, Peter develops a taste for something a little off-beat (ritzy imported tea or something) without realizing how expensive it is. Tony’s happy to keep him supplied, but when Peter inadvertently figures out the price, he’s absolutely mortified.
Relationships: Peter Parker & Tony Stark
Comments: 29
Kudos: 213





	Of Tea and Charity

**Author's Note:**

> Just a quick prompt fill. Short and sweet. :)

The lab doors opened with a whoosh, and Peter walked in, rubbing his hands together to get the circulation going again. The warm air of the building made his cheeks and fingers burn as they thawed out. Happy was with Pepper, and Peter didn’t want to be a bother, so he offered to find his own way to the tower after school, which turned out to be a combination of walking in the wintery air and taking the bus.

Tony was standing in front of some screens with holograms to his right. When Peter coughed, his throat dry and sore, Tony turned, swiping the floating schematics away and looking Peter over with a critical eye. 

“You’re late. You should have let me get you a ride.”

Peter waved him off, waking over to his workstation and dropping his bag on the floor beside his chair. He was finally feeling a little warmer, but he wasn’t ready to take off his coat, so he left it on. Tony gave him a curious look but didn’t comment. Peter grabbed his bag and set it on the table, pulling out his books. He had physics homework to do before he could play with the robot he was building. Tony was strict about the rules ever since he and May became BFF’s. 

Peter sniffled, his nose still running a little from the cold. He walked over to the counter on the far wall where the coffee machine sat. It could produce hot water for tea as well. 

Peter grabbed his sloth mug from the back corner of the shelf and poured himself some hot water, then grabbed his dinosaur tea diffuser and filled it with loose leaf tea from the tin, fixing himself a cup. He hadn’t been a tea drinker before, but Pepper had gotten on Tony’s case about his coffee consumption and insisted he at least try to replace a cup a day with tea. Apparently, the antioxidants were good for you.

The tea, in this case, Peter had fallen in love with. It was rich and woodsy. He didn’t know what kind it was, other than being black, but it was good, and Peter could drink it by the gallon. Tony had already needed to restock twice since Peter had found it. 

He went back to his desk with his tea in hand and sat down to do his homework. While he worked, he saw Tony making a cup of tea as well. Peter smiled to himself. Pepper would be proud. 

“Looks like it’s time to order more leaf juice,” Tony said, walking back to his workstation with his cup. 

Peter took a sip of his tea. “Do you want me to pick some up at the store? It’s not like I don’t drink most of it. Just tell me what kind it is.”

Tony pulled up his holograms, flicking through them as he talked to Friday. “You can’t get this kind of tea at the store. It’s imported.”

“Oh, then can I give you some money toward it? We could split it. I know you can afford it, I get that, but you do so much for me already. We’re a team, right?”

“It’s thirty-five hundred a pound,” Tony said, tipping his head to the side. 

Peter’s heart jumped into his throat. “It’s what? Oh my god. You can’t be serious.” 

“Easy, kid. Calm down. It’s just tea.”

“I’ve used two tins, at like a hundred grams a tin, that’s over fifteen hundred dollars worth of tea. Oh my god! Where am I supposed to get that much money?”

Tony set down his cup and walked over to Peter, ducking his head so Peter would look at him. “Pete, kid, breathe. You don’t need to repay me. It might sound like a lot, but it’s nothing. I’d pay ten times that just because it makes you happy.”

Peter blinked, his heart still racing. He looked down at his cup of tea like it had betrayed him. “Why would you pay that much for tea?” He glanced at Tony, his brow furrowed. 

Tony shrugged with a half-smile. “It’s some vintage blend from Wuyi Mountains. Pepper recommended it, and you liked it, so I just kept buying it. It’s really not a big deal.”

Peter shook his head. “I really don’t need it. I’m fine with the store brand, and you could save your money, like donate it to people in need of tea or something. Thirty-five hundred dollars a pound—that’s insane, Mr. Stark.”

“It’s a small price to pay. Really, kid. We’re good.” Tony walked back to his workstation and tapped his tablet a few times with a grin. He looked at Peter, a mischievous glint in his eye. “I just ordered enough to last you six months, so drink your tea, and if it helps you feel better, I’ll donate an equal amount of money to one of the local food pantries.”

Peter glanced down at his tea and then back at Tony, his lips pulling down in a frown. “That’s—I mean, I’m glad you’re donating, but, Mr. Stark, that’s insane. You can’t just spend thousands on tea. Real people don’t do that.”

Tony shrugged. “Eh, who said I was normal. Now drink up. Your case of tea will be here tomorrow.”

Sighing, Peter picked up his mug and glared at the smiling sloth on the side. Shoulders falling, he took a sip and tried to let it settle his nerves. 

It really was good tea. 

**Author's Note:**

> You can find me on tumblr [here](https://snarky-drabbles.tumblr.com/) I'm still open to prompts if you want to send some my way.


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